The Frog Princess
by TheSt0ryTeller
Summary: Prince Ilari has no interest in finding a wife. Now, thanks to his father's meddling, he's engaged to a smart mouthed frog.
1. Problematic Personalities

Once upon a time, there was a a king with three sons.  
Prince Arkadi was the oldest at 24 years of age. He was the quietest of his brothers, with a naturally severe expression. He was also the most athletic of his brothers, as well as the most skilled in combat. He tried to be polite, but he still intimidated his guests.  
Prince Mitya was 22, the second oldest. The complete opposite of his older brother, he was a flirt. It had gotten him into trouble with his father a few times, as well as earned a few slaps to the face by the ladies of the court. He was the most laidback of his brothers.  
Prince Ilari was the youngest, only 20 years old. He was a proud young man, but could also be very bitter towards others. He had been very sick as a child, and thus had never become as strong or tall as his brothers. He had a habit of being cold and rude, but was also very awkward.

The king was growing older, and he began to worry for the future of his sons and their kingdom. He thought about what to do, as none of his sons seemed to be able to find (or keep, in Mitya's case) a romantic partner. He summoned his adviser, Rodion. They had been friends since they were small children, so Rodion was able to speak more freely than other members of the court.

"Tell me, my friend," the king sighed, "why are my sons such... failures in the realm of love? They are all fine looking young man."

"Well, sir," his companion began, "the problem isn't their appearance."

"It's their personalities, isn't it?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so."

"Alright, let's hear what the problems are." The king threw himself down onto his sofa.

His adviser sat down on one of the nearby chairs.

"Arkadi is too... _rough_ , shall we say? He's not the best with speaking, but he's a smart young man and gives everything his all. He would marry someone who hates him if that were the best thing for the kingdom."

"And that can be quite problematic." The king nodded, "Such situations could lead to his assassination. Yes, yes. I understand."

"Then there's Mitya..."

"Ah... yes..."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, remembering the last fiasco. The king let out a cough.

"... Let's move on to my youngest, shall we?"

"Yes... that might be a good idea," Rodion agreed, "Ilari... Ilari is... Well..."

The king sighed and rubbed his temple.

"Oh, just say it."

"Alright, sir," Rodion straightened his posture, "Frankly, Ilari is an asshole."

The king burst out laughing at his friend's evaluation. After he collected his bearings, he let out a sigh.

"That is true, unfortunately. I'm partly to blame, though. He'd only just gotten better, and then... Galina passed. I felt so guilty... You know he was close with his mother, and he was always so ill, I spent more time with his brothers. I tried to bond with him, but he brushed me off every time..."

Rodion decided it wasn't the time to remind the king that his way of "bonding" with his youngest son was forcing him to practice combat with Arkadi, and to accompany Mitya to social events (those events were usually going to the nearest tavern in disguise and trying to find a willing partner for the night). The adviser sighed and thought.

"Hmm... There _is_ a tradition among the peasants," he told him.

The king leaned forward.

"Go on..." he urged.

Rodion proceeded to explain how the ritual worked. The king's eyes lit up. If his sons couldn't find wives on their own, then he would simply give them a gentle nudge in the right direction.  
Or a hard shove.


	2. Where the Arrow Lands

Prince Arkadi was parring with a group of soldiers. Their weapons were made of wood, so as not to cause any real harm. Arkadi was well known for his skills with the ax, and it was usually his first choice of weaponry. Letting out a loud grunt, he brought his weapon down heavily upon his opponent. The other man, Asa, let out a groan as he used his sword to hold up the weight of the blow. The prince simply kept pushing down with his weight.

"You win, your highness!" Asa called.

Arkadi immediately stepped back and set down his ax. Asa grinned at him.

"Just you wait, Prince, I'll win next time!"

The prince's face softened and her rolled his eyes.

"Your highness," a familiar voice called, "the king requests your presence."

Arkadi turned and found one of the castle servants. Giving a short nod, the prince followed him into the castle.

...

"Just a quick kiss?" Prince Mitya begged, burying his face into a young woman's neck.

"Your highness," the maid purred, "I really do have work to do."

"Can I be 'work'?"

"Your highness!" she gasped before breaking into giggles.

Just as the prince pressed his lips to the woman's neck, a knock sounded at his bedroom door. The maid leaped back and straightened out her dress. The prince sighed in annoyance.

"What is it?" he called.

"My apologies for interrupting you, your highness," a servant replied through the door, "his majesty is requesting your presence."

"Gah! He has the worst timing! I was getting ready to do some 'work'."

The maid lightly smacked his arm. If the servant had any idea to what the prince was referring to, he gave no sign of it. He simply lead the prince to the king's study.

...

Prince Ilari set down his quill and buried his face in his hands. He had wanted to challenge himself in his writing, but he'd bitten off more than he could chew.

 _How the hell am I supposed to write about romance?!_

With another groan, Ilari threw his head back and leaned back into his chair. Flailing his arms in frustration, he got ready to let out another growl, only to be interrupted by a knock at his study door.

"What?" he snapped.

"His grace requests your presence," a servant called through the door.

"Tell him I'm coming."

He stood up as the servant walked off. With a heavy sigh, the prince made his way to the king's study. The whole time, his thoughts were on his book.

...

The king patiently waited for his three sons to arrive. As they took their seats, he evaluated their appearances.  
Arkadi was covered in sweat, and his tanned skin was flushed from hard practice under a merciless sun.  
Mitya's clothes were ruffled, and a bruise was forming on the skin between his neck and his shoulder.  
Ilari still had a faraway look in his eyes and ink on his face.

They definitely needed his help.  
Clapping his hands together, he brightly smiled at his sons.

"You're getting married!"

The princes stared up at him in utter shock. Mitya was the first to recover.

"T-To whom, may I ask?"

"You'll decide tomorrow! You'll take your bows to an open field and fire an arrow. Wherever it lands, you will find your bride."

The men's faces paled. Arkadi was worried, as he had the best aim. His arrow would be expected to land in the courtyard of some noble family. In contrast, Mitya and Ilari were afraid their poor aim would cause their arrows to land in a pig sty or over a cliff, or something else of the like.

"That's all," the king stated, "you're free to go."

...

* * *

...

"This is stupid," Ilari spat, fiddling with an arrowhead.

"I agree that this is ridiculous," Mitya replied, "but if it makes the old man happy, who am we to argue?"

Arkadi simply nodded.

 _Perhaps this ca give me the inspiration I need for my book..._

The oldest of the brothers raised his bow, and his brothers followed suit, each facing a different direction. At his command, they all fired. Arkadi's arrow flew towards their castle, and was soon followed by a shocked scream. A look of panic fell over his face and he jumped onto his horse and ran after the arrow. Mitya's arrow stuck into a carriage going down a distant road. Another scream echoed through the air. Smacking his face, the second prince mounted his horse and set towards it. Ilari's arrow flew high into the sky and went plummeting into the nearby marsh. There was no panicked scream. Flushing with embarrassment, Ilari climbed onto his horse and headed to where it had gone.

He rode for a while, going deeper and deeper into the dark marsh. Though he would never say it out loud, Ilari was beginning to feel nervous. He began to worry he'd gone too far, when he saw a small pond. Sitting on a lily pad, next to a bright green frog, was his arrow. Jumping off his horse, he grabbed a branch and dragged the lily pad to the bank. However, just as he reached out to pick up the arrow, the frog spoke.

"Well, hello to you too," she sniffed.

Ilari let out an unflattering squawk and nearly fell on his rear. The frog made an odd croaking sound, and the prince realized it was laughter.

"Give me my arrow, frog," he ordered.

"Take me as your bride, boy," the frog replied.

"I will _not_ marry a _frog_."

"But your arrow landed here. Everyone knows the tradition. Where the blue arrow lands, a man will find his bride."

"You're not my bride!"

The frog lifted her hand and gestured to the water.

"Well, there is a lovely lady alligator just under the surface. She's the only alternative."

Ilari's eyes widened at the news of the alligator. Standing up straight, he glowered down at the annoying amphibian.

"Give me my arrow, and I'll take you home, frog."

"Fine, boy. You had best keep your promise!"

Picking up the arrow, the frog hopped onto the bank. Ilari reached down and picked her up. He was glad he hadn't taken off his gloves. He set her in his pocket, and the arrow in his quiver. Climbing up on his horse, Prince Ilari flicked the reigns and off they went.

 _Stupid idea! Stupid, stupid, stupid! I'd almost prefer the arrow going over the cliff!_

* * *

 **Chapter two is done! And now we meet the frog...**

 **Please leave reviews and commentary!  
Thanks for reading!**


	3. I Have a Name

The audience hall was filled with a stiff silence. Each prince stood with their future bride. The king and his adviser exchanged glances.

Prince Arkadi stood stone-faced next to a petite maid from the castle. She looked even smaller standing next to the tall prince.  
Prince Mitya was standing next to an annoyed looking young woman. She was the only unmarried daughter of a duchess.  
And then there was Prince Ilari.  
He had his hands cupped, holding the frog. The little frog sat with such confidence, one would think she belonged there.

 _But she doesn't!_

"Well..." the king began, "this isn't quite what I expected. My dear ladies, I only just thought of this now, but I suppose this ritual didn't take your feelings into consideration. So, I ask that you spend some time as their fiancees. If you decide you do want to marry your prince, you need only say so and I shall arrange the wedding. However, if you decide you do not wish to marry one of these men, and you are completely free to do so, give the word and you shall be returned to your previous station along with a sum of money."

The two women and the frog bowed. The maid practically fell over from how deeply she bowed. Prince Ilari sniffed as he glared down at his own fiance. At least the maid was human. As if feeling his glare, the frog turned and looked up at him. She held a certain level of contempt in her own eyes and huffed before she turned to face the king. Ilari's eyes widened in shock at her boldness.

 _You wicked little-_

"You're all free to go," the king dismissed them.

Arkadi led the small, red-haired maid towards the gardens. Mitya was brushed off by his fiancee as she marched in the opposite direction. The second prince shrugged and walked off to his study. For a few moments, Ilari simply stood there. He imagined he could feel the frog's slime seeping through his gloves. As though sensing his disgust, the frog huffed and glared up at him.

"I'm tired. Shall we retire to your room?" she asked.

The prince didn't bother hiding his curled lip. He began walking, holding arms as far away from his body as possible.

"You look ridiculous," the frog quipped.

"You're a talking frog!"

The frog shut her eyes in thought. Then glanced up.

"I suppose that is a fair point."

The prince sniffed and walked into his study. He set his "fiancee" down on the coffee table and walked to his desk. As he lifted his pen, the frog spoke.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm getting ready to write."

"Yes, I can see that," the frog huffed, "but _what_ are you writing?"

Ilari began shifting in his seat. His passion for writing was kept secret from his family. His works were published under the pseudonym Ivan Banner. After thinking for a moment, he answered.

"I'm writing about the founding of this kingdom. I feel that as the king's son, I ought to know- Hey!"

At some point, the frog had hopped off the table and climbed up the desk. She was already reading it by the time the prince realized it.

"A fairytale?" she murmured, then glanced up. "I'm fairly certain there were no dragons involved in the founding of this kingdom."

Ilari's face went red with embarrassment as he slammed his hands over the papers.

"You're an awfully nose thing, aren't you, frog?!"

His embarrassment worsened as his voice cracked. The frog was clearly trying to suppress laughter as her tiny body began to tremble. When she seemed to regain some of her composure, she looked up at him.

"Well, boy. You may not be as pathetic as I thought. You have some skill."

"Quit calling me 'boy'," the prince huffed, "I have a name."

"So do I."

Rubbing his temple, the young man let out a sigh.

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

"What's your name?"

The frog stared up pat him with widened eyes.

"Xanthe. My name is Xanthe."

Ilari raised an eyebrow.

"That's Greek, isn't it? That's awfully far from here."

Rather than respond to his comment, Xanthe looked down at his paper with a critical eye. She let out a short croak that Ilari could only assume was a chuckle.

"You're writing about romance?" she questioned.

Ilari snapped his head up and ripped away the papers, but it was too late. The frog began to quote.

" _I love you. I love you unlike anything I've ever loved before. My passion- no, our pas-_ "

"Shut up! I've never written romance before!"

"Nor have you experienced it, apparently."

Ilari felt his face go red. He didn't think it was so obvious.

"Of course I-"

"A man is never more truthful than when he acknowledges himself a liar," the frog interrupted," as quoted by a rather well-known writer."

Ilari curled his lip.

"And what does a frog know about quoting writers?"

"More than you originally thought."

"How did you come to be such a tetchy frog?"

"How did you come to be such a cantankerous boy?"

They sat glaring at each other for a few moments.

The frog croaked out a chuckle.  
Ilari jumped and leaned back. The frog looked up at him, amusement dancing in her eyes.

" _When I dream, I dream only of you. You are my destiny, my future, my-_ "

"Quit quoting my book!"

Loud croaking followed his shout, and Ilari felt his face grow red.

 _That's it! I'm burning these pages! I'm never going to write about romance again!_

As the frog-bride laughed, the prince crumbled the story's pages into a ball. He tossed it into a trashcan with other scrapped stories.

"You know what they say about quitters-"

"Leave me _alone_!"

The prince jumped up and stormed out of his office leaving a cackling frog in his wake.

* * *

 **"A man is never more truthful than when he acknowledges himself a liar." - by Mark Twain.**

* * *

 **Thanks for your review, sildarmillion! I'm glad you like the story so far. As for what it's based on, this is a retelling of " The Frog Princess** **", and it is a Russian fairytale.**

 **If you want to read the story, this is the site where I found it:  
** **.ca/fairytales/frog-princess. htm (delete the space)**


	4. Freshly Baked Bread

"You know what I'm craving, Rodion?" the king asked, looking through his documents, "Some freshly baked bread."

"Sir, I thought you wanted to go on a diet," the adviser reminded him as he looked through some other documents on his own desk.

"Hmph... But freshly baked bread sounds so delicious."

"Shall I go ask the maids to bake some?" Rodion sighed.

"Mm," the king grumbled, "but I have a gut... but freshly baked bread..."

Rodion suppressed the urge to roll his eyes as he watched the ruler of the kingdom debate whether or not he should ruin his diet. The king brushed through his brown beard with his fingers.

"To have, or not to have..."

The adviser tried to focus on his work.

"Is freshly baked bread really worth ruining my diet?"

Rodion rubbed his temple.

"Hmm... freshly baked bread _is_ delicious..."

Rodion all but slammed his hands on his desk. The king turned and looked at him in surprise.

"Just! Just have some bread, sir... please..."

"Ah, yes, you're right. Maybe I'll have the boys' fiancees bake it."

"Yes, sir. That's a wonderful idea. I'll go tell them now."

...

* * *

...

"His majesty requests that each dame bakes him a loaf of bread by tomorrow. You are free to use the kitchen," Rodion stated.

Ilari's brothers and their fiancees glanced at Xanthe from the corners of their eyes. Ilari didn't blame them. He was feeling rather frustrated himself.  
Once again, the three pairs went their separate ways.

"Shouldn't we be going to the kitchen?" the frog asked.

Ilari was too deep in his thoughts to hear her. He walked straight to his study and set his fiancee down on his desk. Sitting down, he began to speak.

"So, what are we going to do?" he asked, staring down at the frog.

"Bake a loaf of bread?" Xanthe tilted her head.

"You can't!" Ilari cried out. "Y-You have frog hands!"

"Well, you have baby hands, but I wasn't going to mention it..."

"What! How da-"

"Don't worry your pretty little head about the bread," Xanthe interrupted.

"Frog hands! You can't bake bread with _frog hands_!"

Xanthe sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Do you think you could _try_ trusting me on this?"

"... Your sliminess is unsanitary..."

"Oh, my gods! Just let me handle it! Just go write your book!"

Ilari felt as though he'd achieved a small victory when he heard the frog's fed up tone. He carefully picked her up and set her down on one of the couch pillows so he could work.

" _Her gorgeous, golden hair, her beautiful silver eyes, she was perfect. Elegant and kind, her personality was as enthralling as her appeara-_ "

"Give it a rest!" Ilari snapped.

He heard her croak-like laughter and groaned.

...

* * *

...

The moon was high in the sky by the time Ilari awoke. He groaned as he sat up. He blinked his eyes a few times, trying to figure out where he was.

 _I'm still at my desk..._

He pushed back his chair, and as he went to stand, something slid off his back.

 _A blanket?_

A sudden cool breeze sent shivers down his spine. Ilari stumbled to the opened door to his veranda, mumbling curses.

"My faithful attendants, gather round and listen to me. Bake for me by the morning soft white bread like the bread I ate at my father's table."

"What the fu..." Ilari straightened up at what he saw.

A beautiful woman with long, dark brown hair was leaning over the railing and looking into the water. The young man rubbed his eyes and took another look. She really was there, but Ilari couldn't see her face.

"Come on, now. I'll bring you some candies if you do this," the woman insisted.

"Fine, fine," sighed some voices, "but make sure you bring us the sweets!"

"Yes, yes, I said I would. Just take care of it, please."

With that, the woman whirled around, her pale green dress twirling around her ankles.

 _She's going to see me!_

A wave of panic washed over the prince, and he scrambled back to his desk. He threw himself back down into his seat, dropped his head onto his desk, and pretended to still be asleep. His heart began to beat faster as he heard the woman approach. She stopped right behind him, and Ilari felt a cold sweat beginning to form.

"What a troublesome young man you are," the woman grumbled.

He heard the shifting of fabric, and suddenly, the blanket was once again draped over his back.

"I hope your neck aches tomorrow morning," she quietly huffed, brushing a lock of his hair behind his ear.

Ilari barely held back a shiver from how cold her hand was. It was even harder for him to keep his eyes closed; he desperately wanted to see the mysterious woman's face.

"Sweet dreams, you irascible prince."

As though she'd cast some sort of spell, Ilari was overcome with exhaustion. Soon enough, he'd fallen into a deep sleep.

* * *

 **Thank you for all your reviews! They really make me want to keep writing!**  
 **I'm glad to hear that my story is making you guys laugh**  
 **PrincessDOOM: Thank you so much! I was smiling like a fool when I read your reviews**  
 **LilactheDryad: I'm actually not sure if The Frog Prince and The Frog Princess are the same story, though I wonder if they are both variations of an even older story. I find it really interesting when stories from different places share such similar elements and themes  
sildarmillion: Yeah, I didn't like how the other wives were treated, so that's definitely going to change for this story  
**


	5. The Duchess's Daughter

"So, my dear lady," Mitya purred, laying down on a nearby couch, "what are you planning to do?"

His fiancee whirled around and glared at him.

"What are you doing in my room?" she hissed.

"I was walking with you. We - well, I was talking to you, and you opened the door. You didn't say farewell or try to send me off, so I assumed I had permission to enter."

The woman growled in frustration. The prince snickered as he smirked up at her.

"Really, Essie, I don't understand why you hate me. I don't recall doing anything that would inspire this sort of malice."

"My name," she retorted, "is Odessa. And as for my attitude, well, I don't have much patience for _your_ type."

At this, Mitya sat up. He raised an eyebrow, thinking for a moment before speaking.

"And what, if I may ask, is my 'type'?"

Odessa crossed her arms, her lips pursed.

"Flirty, womanizing... You're a philanderer, a debauchee! And I certainly won't play along!"

The prince stared up at her in surprise. He scratched the back of his neck before offering her a smile.

"You really have no trouble speaking your mind, do you?"

The woman drew back, caught off guard. Her reaction only made the prince widen his grin. He shifted in his seat staring up at her. Odessa didn't appreciate the look he had in his eyes; it made her feel shy, and that was not a feeling she liked. She straightened the skirt of her blue dress, trying to hide how flustered she was becoming.

"Please leave," she requested.

"Are you sure?" Mitya asked, climbing to his feet, "No one would care if I stayed here longer. After all, we might be getting mar-"

"I'm sure!" Odessa snapped.

The prince shrugged and made his way to the door. He turned around to offer one last comment, but the woman had already opened the door. Taking the hint, Mitya feigned hurt pride before stepping out. However, just as Odessa went to close the door, he reached out and grabbed her hand.

"If you need anything just let me know," he said, kissing the back of her hand.

Odessa felt her face burning, and she couldn't think of any way to respond.

"Why so surprised? I _am_ a prince, after all."

And then he was gone. Odessa stood at the door for a few moments before snapping back to reality. She quickly shut the door and sat down on the small sofa. Burying her face in her hands, she began to think aloud.

"Oooh! I just wanted to go see the academy! Why did that stupid arrow have to shoot through my skirt?! I finally convinced mother to let me go, when she saw that stupid... _womanizer_ come riding up on his white horse! My god, Mother looked so starstruck, you'd think the arrow had pierced _her_ skirt! Oh, I wish it had! Now I'm stuck with the most lecherous of the princes, Mother won't accept me turning down the chance to become his bride, and my only chance to enter the academy has been lost!"

She snatched up a nearby pillow and buried her face in it. She released a scream of frustration that was muffled by the cushion. After a few moments, she tossed the pillow aside and marched up to her vanity.  
She did not like what she saw.

Her black hair was a mess, her curls run amok. Her eyes were watery. And worst of all, she was still blushing from her last interaction with the prince, her possible fiance.

"I'm not going to marry him," Odessa told her reflection, "he sleeps around. He's completely free to do that, but I will not stand to have a husband who acts in such a manor. If I ever do marry, my spouse would be loyal. We would feel _love_ for each other, not _lust_."

Her reflection was still blushing. Odessa frowned.

"And how the hell do you make bread?!"

As though they'd heard her question, someone knocked on her door. The woman jumped in surprise before she fixed her hair and answered the door.  
Standing before her was a young woman. Her blonde hair barely reached her chin, an unusual hair style for women.

 _It suits her, though..._

There was something familiar about the woman, but Odessa couldn't figure out why.

"I'm sorry to bother you," she apologized, "but I wasn't sure if you knew where the kitchen was."

"Oh, no. I suppose I don't."

"I, um, I could lead you there if you'd like."

"Y-Yes, thank you."

The woman politely bowed and began to lead the way. Odessa followed, trying to figure out where she'd seen the maid before. It was a quiet walk, and she felt a sense of relief once they arrived at the kitchen. As they walked in, the maid pulled on an apron before offering one to her companion.

"Are you... making bread, too?" Odessa asked, tying a bow with the apron's strings.

"Yes." She nodded, a nervous look fell across her face. "I hope his majesty will like it."

 _Ah! That's right! She was with Prince Arkadi. I guess she was wearing a linen snood before..._

"I'm sure he will," Odessa reassured her.

She placed her hand on the maid's shoulder, intending it to be comforting. Instead, the maid flinched and drew away. Odessa pulled her hand back, and the maid looked ashamed and apologetic.

"I-I'm so sorry," she said, bowing her head.

"No, no," Odessa responded, "I'm the one who should apologize!"

They stood in an awkward silence for a few moments. Odessa bit her lip before she spoke.

"My name is Odessa Agiashvili. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

The maid's eyes widened slightly. Then, a beautiful smile bloomed across her face.

"My name is Fanya Lukin. I'm very happy to meet you, as well."

...  
...

"I don't understand why that stupid arrow had to hit _my_ carriage!" Odessa finished.

Fanya nodded in sympathy. The maiden was a wonderful listener. Before she'd even realized it, they started to have a friendly conversation. Odessa was relieved to find someone she could confide in (and complain to), and Fanya seemed relieved to be able to talk to someone in a similar situation as her.

"Hey, what is Prince Arkadi like? He seems... quiet..."

She didn't miss how red Fanya's face became.

"He... He is certainly quiet," she began, "but... he is also very kind."

"Kind?"

"Yes." She nodded. "I doubt he remembers, but when I was doing my daily tasks, he'd help me. Like if I accidentally dropped some of the laundry I was carrying, he'd help me pick it up. They were small things, but each time, I would feel embarrassed but... I also felt happy."

Odessa felt surprised. She never thought that Prince Arkadi was that kind of man.

"And he's very brave. He's won almost every battle he's fought! The soldiers really respect him. He's also one of our strongest warriors. Prince Arkadi has one every practice fight he's fought. Oh! But he's very humble. He doesn't boast about his strength or victories, and he doesn't look down on people, even if they're in a lower station."

 _Good god, someone's been struck by cupid's arrow... She thinks_ very _highly of him..._

Yet Fanya began to look depressed.

"And so... I can't understand it... Why did the arrow pierce the sheets I was carrying? Someone like him deserves... someone like you. Someone beautiful, and smart, and nice... Not someone like me... I feel bad for being a burden on him... I think I'm going to turn down the marriage... I-I just... I want to see what it could be like..."

"Fanya..." Odessa was at loss.

She had never been good at comforting people, that was part of why she threw herself into her studies. She was beginning to wish she'd paid more attention to her mother's lessons on etiquette and conversation. All she could offer the maid were weak, unconvincing negations. Fanya smiled and thanked her for her attempts. An awkward silence filled the air as the two baked. Out of the corner of her eye, Odessa saw the maid adding a dark orange substance to her dough.

"Family recipe," she explained, "my father loves growing pumpkins."

"Ah." Odessa nodded.

Biting her lip, she wondered if she ought to add something to her recipe. Her mother had never baked, and she hadn't been allowed in the kitchen. Even if she didn't want to marry the prince, Odessa still wanted to impress the king. It never hurt to be in the good graces of powerful people.

 _Maybe some of this... and a little of that..._

Before she knew it, they were done. Odessa let out a sigh of relief as Fanya wore a soft smile. They carefully wrapped their loaves and put them away for safekeeping til morning.

"Thank you for helping me," Odessa said, bowing her head, "it was very kind of you."

"Oh! It wasn't any trouble at all!" Fanya replied.

Odessa opened her mouth to speak, but a sudden shadow emerged from the darkness. Without a sound, it moved swiftly towards them. Odessa let out a scream and grabbed Fanya's arm, getting ready to run.

"Lady Odessa," the figure said in a low voice, "don't move."

Fanya did as he said, but Odessa was not ready to face the suspicious man. After all, a good person doesn't sit in the dark waiting for two women to walk out alone in the middle of the night. Suddenly, her foot caught on something. With another screech, she fell flat on the ground.

"Lady Odessa!" Fanya cried, rushing to help her up, "Are you alright?"

The figure followed suit. When he stepped into the light, Odessa was shocked to find Prince Arkadi.  
Then horrifically embarrassed about the situation.

"I-I'm sorry," she apologized, "You... I was caught off guard..."

Her face burned with shame as she stared at her feet.

"I was trying to warn you about that." He pointed to one of the stone tiles. A piece was broken, leaving a hole just the right size to catch someone's foot.

"I see," she lightly coughed, "Thank you."

"Don't thank me. You tripped and fell."

Odessa cringed and scratched the back of her neck. Fanya offered a small smile.

"Might I ask what you're doing here at this time of night?" Odessa asked, regaining some of her composure.

"The castle is like a maze. You both would've gotten lost."

"O-oh."

 _He... certainly has a way with words..._

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the maid blush. Rolling her eyes, Odessa straightened her skirt and started walking down the hall. She was ready for the day to end.

"Lady Agiashvili," Prince Arkadi said with a voice like thunder.

"Y-Yes!" She whirled around.

"Our rooms are this way," Fanya explained.

Odessa blushed and started heading in the correct direction.

"I thought I saw something. I didn't," she explained as she walked past them.

 _Damn you, Prince Mitya, damn you and your stupid archery skills!_

* * *

 **I'm so sorry for not updating in forever!  
** **I just ran into writer's block and got kind of lazy. I hope this double update makes up for it (at least a little).  
We got to learn a bit about the other princes' fiancees, Odessa and Fanya, as well as Prince Mitya. We'll get to know Prince Arkadi a bit more as time goes on. There'll be a couple of these substories throughout the main story. I'll try to post it along with a chapter about Prince Ilari and Xanthe.  
I actually have a few ideas for other stories I want to do, and I _might_ post a few chapters of those, but I'm keeping this one as my main focus.  
I'm not sure how long it will be, since I'm making it up as I go along (/'~')/, but I'm hoping it won't feel dragged out or rushed. If it ever does seem that way, please let me know. If there's somewhere you see some need for improvement, please tell me. I write these to improve my writing. (And because I need to get these ideas that pop into my head at 3 am out). Anyway, thanks for reading!**

 **Please leave reviews and critiques,  
Have a nice day/night!**


	6. Bread for the King

Ilari woke up, still at his desk. He rubbed his neck as he sat up. At his sudden motion, a blanket fell from his shoulders to the floor. The prince stared at it, unable to immediately process what had happened.

"Frog!" he shouted, jumping to his feet.

He heard a croak followed by a flopping sound. He whipped his head around to find his fiancee lying stomach down on the floor next to the couch.  
Ilari burst out laughing.

"Shut up!" she snapped, climbing to her feet, "Quit laughing!"

"Y-You made a 'splat' sound!" he cried, his stomach beginning to hurt.

"It was reflex! I hear someone shout 'frog', I get away! Do you know how many children try to catch small animals? They have no idea how tight they squeeze!"

Ilari took a deep breath and wiped away his tears. He let out a few chuckles as he knelt down.

"Are you alright? You didn't break any frog bones, did you?"

"Oh, so suddenly you care?"

"You'd fuss if I didn't." He shrugged as he carefully picked her up.

 _I will never not be disgusted by frog slime..._

"Don't you _dare_ curl your lip at me, I didn't choose to be like this," she hissed, then let out a huff, "and I'm fine."

The prince set her down on one of the cushions. The frog glanced up at him.

"Did you sleep out here?" she asked, tilting her head.

"Yes, I guess so." He furrowed his brow. "You know, I had a strange dream last night."

"Oh?" Xanthe stared up at him.

 _Well, that caught her attention._

"Yes. There was a beautiful young woman standing on my veranda. She was wearing an olive green dress, and she had this long, hickory brown hair. She had this air about her-"

"You were dreaming of another woman?" Xanthe gasped, "Am I that horrible?"

"W-What?" Ilari drew back.

"How could you?! I've been sitting here all night and all you do is dream about someone else?!" she wailed," I know I don't look like some beautiful woman, but I still have feelings!"

"I-I'm sorry! Stop crying, I didn't mean to," the prince told her, patting her back. He was surprised she cared enough to feel hurt.

 _Don't cringe, don't cringe, don't cringe..._

"Well, I suppose it's the closest you'll get to a woman, isn't it?" Xanthe sniffed.

"Yea- Wait, what?"

The frog erupted into snickers. Ilari whipped his hand back.

"That's what you get for laughing at me earlier," Xanthe giggled.

"You _stupid_ little frog!" Ilari snapped, jumping to his feet.

Xanthe snickered as she stared up at him.

"So, impudent prince, what did this mysterious beauty's face look like?" she questioned.

Ilari lightly coughed and scratched his neck.

"I... didn't actually see her face," he admitted with a sigh.

The frog made a loud croak that somehow sounded filled with disdain. Ilari flushed and snapped back.

"Even if I didn't see her face, I think she's beautiful! She was like a... a faery or something!"

"A faery?" She stared up at him with wide eyes.

"Y-Yes, a faery. It was the air around her."

She stared up at him for a few moments, and Ilari grew uncomfortable.

"No more sleeping at your desk. You get bizarre thoughts in your blonde little head."

Ilari was about to snap back, but a sudden knock sounded at his door. A servant told them they were to meet with the king. The prince remembered the bread with a start.

 _Oh, now what?! Of course the others will have something for father, but-_

"Can you please grab that pan over there?" Xanthe asked, "I'll just sit on your shoulder."

"W-What?" The prince stared at her.

She rolled her little black eyes and pointed to the table. There sat a pan, covered with a lacy handkerchief. Ilari opened his mouth to question it, only for the frog let out a loud, impatient croak. The prince grumbled as he picked her up and walked over to the pan.

...  
...

"Mm, I've been looking forward to this since yesterday," the king said, staring at the three loaves of bread.

The princes and their fiancees sat at the table with the king at its head. He was smiling as he eyed the offered baked goods. Ilari glanced at his brother's wives. Fanya, Arkadi's fiancee, looked as though a strong wind would carry her off. She seemed far too delicate for the ruffian that was his oldest brother. Odessa Agiashvili, daughter of Lady Roksana and Lord Damien Agiashvili, was from a well respected family. Ilari figured her parents were thrilled with the situation, but from the look on the young woman's face, she wanted nothing more than to leave.

 _Mitya's charms must not be working on her._

Finally, Ilari looked at his own fiancee. He still didn't know why she could talk, or why she had a high vocabulary. She seemed awfully proud for an amphibian, yet somehow her confidence seemed to make her appearance less absurd. At least by a little bit. She was still a frog he might be forced to marry.

 _Father wouldn't actually let that happen, would he?_

The servants moved in to cut the bread. As they did, the king spoke to the young women (and frog).

"How has your stay been, my dear?" he asked, "I hope you're receiving everything you require."

"Yes, your majesty." Odessa nodded. "You've been quite hospitable. Though, I was wondering if you have a library I could visit?"

"Yes, yes, of course. It's just down the hall. I can have a servant show you where it is."

"Or I-" Mitya began.

"That would be lovely, your majesty," Odessa cut in with a smile.

The king held back a chuckle when he saw his son's frustrated expression. He smiled at the young maid next.

"How is it being on the other side?"

"O-Oh, it's quite nice, your highness." She nodded. "Though I'm not used to... not working. Oh, but it's quite lovely!"

"Good, good. Do whatever makes you comfortable, my dear."

The maid nodded with a soft smile. Finally, the king turned to the frog.

"Now, my dear, I'm afraid I don't know much about you," the king began, "tell me, what is your name."

"I am called Xanthe, my good king. It is quite an honor to be here."

"I'm glad to have you. Do tell me, how has it been for you thus far?"

"It's been wonderful, truly, but I wanted to ask if you have a pond or a lake nearby?"

The king smiled.

"We have a large fountain in the garden. Would that suffice?"

"Yes, your highness." She nodded. "Thank you so very much."

 _That frog sure knows how to talk. Where did she learn to speak like that? Do all swamp creatures speak so eloquently?_

As Ilari was trying to imagine an alligator and a snake talking over tea, the king took a bite of the first bread slice. He hummed with pleasure as he chewed.

"Is that pumpkin?" he asked.

"Yes, your majesty. My father loves pumpkin, so my mother came up with this recipe," Fanya replied.

"Please tell her she's taught you well." The king grinned at her.

The young maid was practically glowing with pride as she shyly lowered her head. The king ate a slice of the next bread loaf.

"Sweet... and is that cinnamon?" the king asked.

"Y-Yes, your highness." Odessa nodded. "I'm afraid I don't have much experience with baking."

"You could have fooled me," the king told her.

Odessa let out a sigh of relief as the king went on to the final slice of bread. Ilari gulped. He hadn't had the chance to ask Xanthe how that bread had come to exist, and after the first two, he was worried it wouldn't be up to par. They all watched in silence as the king chewed. Suddenly, his eyes widened.

"Xanthe, my dear," he began, "is this bread magic? My back was aching earlier, and suddenly it's gone."

The princes and the women stared at the frog in shock.

"It's just some herbs, my good king. After all the time I spent in the marsh, I've learned a thing or two."

 _Why is that something you learn?_

The king let out a laugh.

"My, what fine young ladies you are!" He said with a grin.

He began dusting the crumbs from his shirt when he suddenly froze. The other people in the room exchanged looks, and Mitya called out to him. The king blinked and grinned.

"I have another task for you!" he announced, "You are to each make me a new shirt by... Hm, would the end of this week be alright?"

"Yes, your majesty," the three fiancees replied.

The king nodded with a smile.

"Well, there's still plenty of bread. Come now, everyone take some," he told them.

...  
...

"Tell me, Rodion, when was the last time you saw Mitya so at a loss with a woman?" the king whispered.

"Never, your majesty," his adviser replied, "it's quite a sight."

The king snickered.

"Look! He just tried to flirt with her, and she shut him down before he even finished speaking!"

Rodion smiled. It had been a while since he'd seen his king, his old friend, so entertained.

...  
...

Ilari sat down at his desk, staring at his papers. He was still at a loss as to where he ought to begin. He kept scrapping what he wrote, and he was growing frustrated. Suddenly, something landed by his arm. Looking down, he saw Xanthe staring up at him with large eyes.

 _One could almost find her cute. Almost._

"Take me to the fountain," she ordered.

 _And there it goes._

"I'm busy," he huffed.

"Your staring at paper growing more frustrated by the minute. Take a break and let's go to the fountain."

"No."

"Please?"

Ilari raised his eyebrows when she said that. He looked down at her and realized she was looking paler than when she'd first arrived.

 _She hasn't been in the water at all since she'd been here!_

"Fine." He picked her up and started their walk to the fountain. He set her down at the marble edge and sat down on a bench. Xanthe let out a happy chirp and hopped in. With a sigh, Ilari leaned back and looked around. It felt like ages since he'd last been here. It looked the same, yet felt different. He wasn't sure why.  
Suddenly, the frog poked her head out of the water, looking a much brighter green.

"Ilari?" she called.

The prince jumped, surprised that she called him by name.

"Y-Yes?"

"What's your book about?"

His eyes widened further.

"Um, why do you ask?"

"I'm feeling a bit more friendly at the moment, so I thought I'd ask. Answer before I lose interest."

"Uh, it's a r-romance. About a prince and a sorceress."

"Oh?" Xanthe stared at him.

"Y-Yes. The prince is cursed, and the sorceress is trying to help him. Along the way, they end up falling in love."

Ilari felt like it was a rather lame description, but he still hadn't worked out the specifics. Xanthe stared at him quietly, and the prince let out a short cough.

"Is there something you want to say?" he asked, ready for whatever attitude she was going to throw at him.

"What are their names?"

"The prince's name is Alexei. I don't know about the sorceress' name yet."

"Maybe that's why you're having trouble," the frog suggested, "You know, besides your lack of experience."

Ilari decided to ignore the last part.

"I just can't think of the right name. I've tried, but nothing fits."

Xanthe dove under the water. A few minutes later, she poked her tiny green head above the water.

"Izabella?"

"I knew a girl by that name. She was rude and mean spirited."

The frog dove back under the water and swam back up.

"Jelena?"

"No, doesn't feel right."

Back under the water she dove. She swam back up not long after.

"Roza?"

"She's not really a rose kind of person."

This time, Xanthe stayed in the water for nearly ten minutes. Ilari grew concerned and walked up to the edge of the fountain. He leaned down, trying to find the amphibian. As more time passed, the prince grew more anxious. He wasn't sure of how long a frog could hold their breath underwater. A sudden flash of green shot out of the water. The prince let out a squawk and leaped back. Xanthe dropped back in the water.

"Why'd you do that?!" he snapped.

"I wanted to see how far I could get into the air," she simply replied, "and how about Vasilissa?"

"What?"

"For the sorceress," she replied with an annoyed tone, "Who else?"

 _Vasilissa? Hm..._

"Where'd you come up with that?" he asked.

"She... She's from a story my father told me. A legend. I was never sure if she was real, but even if she wasn't, I wanted to be like her."

"Vasilissa is... a frog, then?"

Xanthe whipped her head around so quickly, Ilari thought it would fly right off from her body. She glared at him.

"No, she's not a _frog_ ," she hissed, "who would want to be like a _frog_?!"

" _You're_ a frog!"

"And you're a spoiled brat!"

At this, Ilari grew truly anger. When they'd argued before, he'd been partly at fault, even if he'd never admit it. He hadn't been trying to upset her this time.

"Don't snap at me for saying what you are!"

"Don't speak as though you know anything!"

"Watch it! I'm not a child!"

"Then don't act like one!"

Ilari curled his lip and whirled around.

"Where are you going?" Xanthe huffed.

"Anywhere you're not!"

He heard a small splash behind him. The prince glanced around and saw her hopping towards him.

"Don't you _dare_ leave me out here!" she snarled.

Despite her being barely the size of his hand, there was a look in her eyes. Her beady eyes spoke of great rage, and a promise to to release her fury upon him. Ilari shrieked and started running for the door. Xanthe let out a cry of anger and the light slapping of frog feet increased in frequency. The prince turned to glance at his enraged companion. He never knew an amphibian could look so furious. He was so busy focusing on the frog, he didn't see the rock in his path. His foot caught on it, and he went tumbling down. As the prince let out a hiss of pain, Xanthe caught up to him.

"You great oaf!" she huffed, jumping onto his knee, "Can't you even run properly?"

"Shut up, I only fell because you were chasing me," he grumbled.

"What exactly did you think I would do?"

He picked her up and stood up.

"How would I know? You're a talking frog. There's no telling what else you can do."

"True. Perhaps I'll turn _you_ into a frog."

"Disgusting," Ilari muttered as he walked towards the door.

"In your case, I say it'd be an improvement."

"Do you ever shut up?"

* * *

 **The king has finally gotten his bread. I'm sure that was what everyone was worried about. I know I was.**

 **Please leave reviews and critiques!  
Thanks for reading!  
**


	7. Woman of My Dreams

Ilari had to be dreaming.  
He absolutely had to be dreaming.  
There was no other explanation for his situation.

"Wake up, Alexei," the woman softly called, "Come on, now. Don't keep me waiting."

It was the woman from before. Her long hair was tickling his nose as she sat on his bed, trying to coax him to awaken. Though he was curious about the mysterious woman's face, he was far too afraid of what she might do.

 _Oh, god. What if she's an assassin?! Oh god, oh god, oh-_

That was when a pair of soft lips pressed against his forehead. Ilari gasped and without thinking, opened his eyes wide. The face that he was met with took away what breath he had left. Full red lips, dark heavy lashes, and the most beautiful chocolate brown eyes he'd ever seen. As the prince stared up at her in shock, the woman, who looked to be around his age, laughed awkwardly. She leaned back, as though she were trying to hide the blush in her cheeks.

"What - Who-"

"Alexei, why are you staring at me like that? Are you mad that I kissed you?"

"Wha - Alexei?"

This was too much for his mind to handle.

"Why are you so confused?" The beautiful woman frowned. "You were the one who summoned me."

"I... did?"

"Yes." The woman was beginning to look annoyed. "You summoned the Great Vasilissa, and so the Great Vasilissa came! Good gods, you're dense..."

"Good... _gods_?"

 _That sounds familiar... Wait. She called herself Vasilissa!_

"What is wrong, Alexei? You have never called on me so late at night. Is it your curse? Has something happened?" She reached out and ran her fingers along his cheek.

 _This has to be a dream!_

Ilari felt the blood rush to his face. He coughed and looked away.

"N-No. I'm fine... Um, sorry for waking you."

"It's alright." She scooted closer. "Would you like me stay here? Until you fall asleep, I mean."

"Um..."

Ilari was panicking. He wasn't good with people, especially women. He tried to calm himself.

 _It's just a dream. None of this really matters. Just... see what happens..._

"S-Stay... please..."

She stared at him in surprise.

 _I'm an idiot! Why did I say that?!_

"W-Well, alright then."

Ilari scrambled back on the bed as the woman climbed up next to him. They laid down facing one another. The young man's heart was pounding in his chest and he found it hard to look her in the eyes. It was a shame. He thought her eyes were beautiful.  
He jumped when he felt her fingers running through his hair.

"Your hair is... softer than I expected," she mused.

"Uh, thanks. Yours... too?"

She raised an eyebrow.

"I-I mean, it looks... nice? Pretty?"

The woman let out an odd sounding laugh. Ilari furrowed his brow.

"Oh, Lady of Cyprus, help this damned fool."

"Who's the Lady of Cyprus?" The man sat up.

"My Lady and Mistress." Vasilissa smiled. "I am one of her followers."

"Do you not serve your king?"

Her face shot in close and she grabbed the collar of his shirt.

"My dear _prince_ ," she hissed, "it is wiser to serve a goddess before you serve any man."

"Y-Yes! That makes perfect sense!"

Her grip loosened. Ilari quickly slithered back. He did not like the turn of this dream. In fact, he was quite ready for it to end. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, she stood up.

"Your highness, you must excuse me. The hour is quite late and I am quite tired. I seem to have words dropping from out of my mind and right off my tongue. Please forgive me if I have offended you, and I beg you to forget what frivolous ideas I've spouted off."

"You really haven-"

She ignored him and marched right out of the room. Ilari sat frozen for a moment. He considered the rationality of chasing after someone in a dream, but figured no one else would ever know.  
He jumped to his feet and ran out after her.

"What are you doing?" a familiar voice called out from the couch.

He ignored the frog and continued on his way.  
Or rather, he tried to.

"Stupid prince! How dare you ignore me! You get back here right now!"

Her shrieking caught the attention of some servants and maids. The prince continued trying to ignore her and spoke to one of the maids.

"Did you see a woman in a green dress?"

"No, your highness," she replied, "would you like us to search the grounds?"

 _Of course she's not real._

Ilari shook his head and cringed as the frog carried on her ranting. The maid tried to hide a laugh as she stared at the ground. The prince's face flushed as he turned and marched back into his room.  
The frog wasn't even facing the door.

"-an't believe how rude you are to me! You- Oh! You're back."

He stared at her for a long while. Blue eyes stared into ebony orbs. Man and beast. Well, not really beast. Man and amphibian. Talking, snarky amphibian. Talking, snarky, slimy, mysterious amphibian.

"What?"

"Did you see a woman?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Reall-?!"

"The maid, for one thing. The duchess' daughter. Another maid. A noblewoman. A gardener. I've seen lots of woman. You have a lot working here."

Ilari buried his face in his hands and let out a groan. He didn't bother looking at Xanthe as he made his way back to his bedroom. The frog croaked out laughter, loud enough to be heard even after he shut the door.


	8. The Tiny Seamstress

Fanya was quietly humming to herself as she sewed. She didn't bother putting on her snood, so her short locks of hair kept falling in her eyes. She didn't mind. Insteaed, the young woman tried to enjoy the rising sun.  
Since she was just a little thing (well, _littler_ ) she'd been an early riser. Her siblings and even some of the other maids thought it was because she wanted to get an early start on her work, but that was only part of the reason.  
When it was this early, the world seemed serene and calm. Anything wicked had either just retired or was still asleep. The birds would share their songs, the flowers would dance to it, and the blades of grass would shed dew-drop tears. It was Fanya's favorite time.

A sudden clanging brought Fanya back into the moment. She looked down from the her seat on the curtain wall and watched the soldiers practice.  
Prince Arkadi was helping train some new recruits. They were going over some defensive tactics. The prince always focused on that for the newest soldiers. His main goal was also to keep as many of his men alive as possible.  
Fanya smiled. Despite his rough exterior, the prince truly cared for his men.

Another lock of hair fell into her eyes. She brushed it back and directed her attention back to her sewing. This shirt would be the most durable and long lasting the king would ever own. That, Fanya would make sure of.

Something crashed into the wall next to her. Fanya screamed.

"S-Sorry, miss!" cried out one of the soldiers. "My hand slipped!"

The woman held her hand to her chest, feeling her heart pound.

A sudden figure picked up the wooden sword, and again Fanya jumped.  
Prince Arkadi seemed to ignore her as he tossed the weapon back down. The little woman stared up at the looming figure. He finally directed his attention back to her. She gulped.

"Get up."

She jumped to her feet, her face red. She felt rather silly for getting spooked so easily, her discomfort only worsened by the stares of the soldiers.  
The prince picked up the little chair and carried it to another spot. He pointed at the dent in the wall where the weapon had hit.

"Weapons always hit this area. You shouldn't sit there."

"Y-Yes, your highness." She kept her eyes on the ground as she scurried to where he;d moved her seat. She could still clearly watch the men practice, but her view of the distant lake was lessened.

The prince waited until she'd settled herself once more before heading back down with the new recruits.

Since arriving at the castle, Fanya had actually found another reason for getting up so early. And it wasn't actually to watch the soldiers practice.  
She subtly watched as the prince picked up a wooden sword and got into position.  
It wasn't the soldiers at all.


End file.
